I've had a fabia 1 tdi parked up outside for a month or so while i sell the other one. The other one sold yesterday so I've put this tdi on the road.

So I went to start it and the battery was flat. I charged the battery for an hour or so, went back to check if it had enough life to start the car (really needed to go out), it did. So i left the car running while i grabbed my stuff to go out.

Came back to the car a few minutes later and the power steering light was on and the handbrake light was flashing. Shortly after, it cut out.

So, I haven't got a multimeter to hand to check the voltages etc tonight, that will be tomorrow.

Just wondering if anybody else had had the same?

Also, i was looking at the alternator and saw what looked like a plug with no cable attached to it:

I ran vcds on it to read the fault codes and they gave the following:

19561 - transfer valve for suction tube flap -N239 interruption/short-circuit after mass.

17911 - Load Signal from Aalternator Term. DF: Implausible Signal

P1503 - 35 - 10 -- Intermitent.

17957 P1549 Boost Pressure Contr.Valve Short to Ground

I'll be honest, I'm a little lost with this. Can anybody lend a helping hand here?

My initial thoughts were that it's probably the battery given that it's been out in the cold for the last 3 weeks. Otherwise it'll be the alternator. But I can't check what voltage the alternator is giving out until tomorrow.

Does anybody know which pins/plug to test for the voltage from the alternator to the battery?

Cheers

Also, i was looking at the alternator and saw what looked like a plug with no cable attached to it:

I ran vcds on it to read the fault codes and they gave the following:

17911 - Load Signal from Aalternator Term. DF: Implausible Signal

P1503 - 35 - 10 -- Intermitent.

The load signal logged fault and the missing wiring will be connected!

I agree, this seems logical.

Ordinarily I would just assume that it was the battery and not consider the alternator until necessay. But when I bought the car a month or so ago, the seller said he had just put a new battery on the car. Didn't click with me at the time but this may have been to just get me home so I didn't go back to him after I realised the alternator was dead.... Just a theory.

Ok, just to update, as this may be a useful bit of info for many people at this time of year.

The main problem turned out to be.... a flat battery. The reason for this must have been the car laying idle for a few weeks in the cold weather.

However, the reason I eventually thought the alternator was at fault (after getting a multimeter and testing etc), was because it wasn't giving out any voltage at idle, and even after a little drive.

Basically, I found out, unless the car is revved past 3k the alternator will not get 'excited' and not provide charging voltage to the battery. Once it has been revved past 3k once it will continue to provide charging voltage for the rest of the journey, until you turn the ignition off.

My problem was, that I was leaving the car sit at idle, with an already weak battery, and because it was only idling and hadn't excited the alternator there was no charging voltage being sent to the battery. Therefore, the battery was being drained.

I can understand the argument for this feature being that it will make the vehicle more fuel efficient by not putting load on the alternator all the time. However, I'm not too sure if it's the brightest idea man's ever seen! Every winter, when everyone is clearing the ice off their windscreens, they leave the car idling with the blowers and radio on to clear the screen inside! Surely this is going to lead to a lot of dead batteries!

Ok, just to update, as this may be a useful bit of info for many people at this time of year.

The main problem turned out to be.... a flat battery. The reason for this must have been the car laying idle for a few weeks in the cold weather.

However, the reason I eventually thought the alternator was at fault (after getting a multimeter and testing etc), was because it wasn't giving out any voltage at idle, and even after a little drive.

Basically, I found out, unless the car is revved past 3k the alternator will not get 'excited' and not provide charging voltage to the battery. Once it has been revved past 3k once it will continue to provide charging voltage for the rest of the journey, until you turn the ignition off.

My problem was, that I was leaving the car sit at idle, with an already weak battery, and because it was only idling and hadn't excited the alternator there was no charging voltage being sent to the battery. Therefore, the battery was being drained.

I can understand the argument for this feature being that it will make the vehicle more fuel efficient by not putting load on the alternator all the time. However, I'm not too sure if it's the brightest idea man's ever seen! Every winter, when everyone is clearing the ice off their windscreens, they leave the car idling with the blowers and radio on to clear the screen inside! Surely this is going to lead to a lot of dead batteries!

Didn't see you had made a separate post about this:

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/221823-awful-on-fuel/page__view__findpost__p__2615089

An alternator will not charge a fully flat battery.